Villa star Stephen Warnock explains to Lisa Smith how he first got the buzz for European football.

Stephen Warnock has revealed how growing up on the terraces of the Kop gave him a taste for European football and a desire to make sure the Champions League is on the agenda this season.

The Villa left-back, who joined Martin O’Neill’s summer revolution from Blackburn Rovers, started out as a defender with Liverpool under Rafa Benitez.

Now after a £6 million move in August, Warnock wants to make all those big experiences he had as a Liverpool fan happen as a Villa player.

Villa are currently fifth in the Barclays’ Premier League and enjoying a good run of form and Warnock feels if the side keep playing the way they are a Champions League run may not be a pipedream.

He said: “My dad and my brother were Everton fans but my mum supported Liverpool and a friend took me to a Reds game and I was hooked from the start.

The 24-year-old added: “It was a dream come true when I actually signed for Liverpool and played a few games for them although obviously not as many as I would have liked. As a kid however I would have been happy if I only ever played once for them.”

Warnock was dogged by injury at Anfield and faced stiff competition to get in the side.

“I joined Villa just as they dropped out of Europe this season after just one game which was disappointing but it might actually bode well now for us.’’